"This class is formed of an amazing group of individuals, and thanks to some skilled facilitation by Larry Van de Valk of LEAD New York at our first session, they have already started to come together as a team," said Jennifer Volk, LEAD co-director. "I am excited to watch this group develop their leadership skills over the next two years."

The class spent Jan. 28-31 in Rehoboth Beach learning about team building, personality traits and the definition of leadership, as well as learning about Delaware agriculture and farmland preservation from Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Austin Short. Over the next two years, they will learn about policymaking, communications, the legislative process, advocacy, and leadership styles in a series of 10 seminars. The program will include an international trip planned by the fellows to learn more about global agriculture.

LEADelaware is a partnership between the University of Delaware's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Delaware Department of Agriculture. For more information, go to http://sites.udel.edu/leadelaware.